1. Field of the Invention
The present invention generally relates to food processing equipment and more particularly to a device for sorting food products by both length and diameter.
2. Background Information
Food processing involves the transformation of raw or partially processed products into a useable, consumer friendly food product. In order to process some items such as potatoes into commercial food products such as French fries, these potatoes need to first be sorted and selected according to both diameter and length so as to determine which potatoes are of the optimal processing size.
Generally, the optimal processing size of a potato is somewhere between 3 and 5 inches in length and has a diameter of between 2 and 4 inches. Potatoes which are smaller than this, or which are significantly larger than this, typically are unsuitable for processing in as much as they create products that are outside of the desired range and have reduced commercial value. In the case of potatoes, if they can be sorted by length, then the longer potatoes can be cut into shorter pieces before entering the processing line for production of French fries. For example, six to eight inch potatoes can be first cut in half, nine to ten inch potatoes may be cut into thirds, and so forth. The problem with conventional sorters is that they sort by diameter, and not by length. While there is generally a correlation between diameter and length, that is to say longer potatoes have a bigger diameter that is not always the case, in that long, small diameter potatoes do exist. If one is only sorting by diameter, long, small diameter potatoes will not be sorted out. This can significantly reduce the value of a production run.
In order to obtain the most commercially valuable products, potatoes must be sorted so as to insure that appropriately sized potatoes are processed together. This batching insures that the optimally sized potatoes are run together and increases the value of that batch of product which is created by the use of those specifically sized potatoes.
In typical embodiments, the cutters for these potatoes utilize a hydraulic pump which pumps potatoes suspended within a liquid through a series of cutting blades. These cutting blades are adapted to cut or slice the potato when the potato is hydraulically propelled through these devices. Potatoes of an improper size have the ability to enter these cutters incorrectly and can result in potato pieces which are misshaped or too small or too long. Misshaped or too long pieces can then be subject to breaking and other associated problems which in turn can cause the commercial value of these pieces to be reduced. In addition, potatoes, which are too long or thick, can also in some circumstances, jam the cutter thus creating damage to equipment and resulting in the loss of commercial processing time. In order to avoid many of these problems these raw products need to be sorted prior to processing.
Mechanical sorting mechanisms exist in the prior art, however these devices sort only upon the characteristic of width, and many are incapable of sorting the potato which comes through in a non-linear or altered orientation and therefore results in the cutting of improper potato pieces. Electronically controlled sorting devices also exist in the prior art; however, they are expensive and usually only sort by one criteria such as length, weight, color or whatever criteria is most important.
Therefore what is needed is a device which enables potatoes and other vegetable products such as cucumbers, zucchini, or the like, to be sorted based upon both their length and their diameter into various sized bins or batches which can then be processed into the desired end products. Another need which exists is the ability to sort potatoes according to both length and diameter in a way which is significantly more efficient than other sorting devices. Embodiments of the present invention meet some or all of these needs.
Additional objects, advantages and novel features of the invention will be set forth in part in the description which follows and in part will become apparent to those skilled in the art upon examination of the following or may be learned by practice of the invention. The objects and advantages of the invention may be realized and attained by means of the instrumentalities and combinations particularly pointed out in the appended claims.